. The popular natural history . Zoology. 45° THE NEWT. inhabit England, and some authors consider that the number of species is still greater. We shall, however, according to the system employed in this work, follow the arrangement of the British Museum, which accepts only two species, the others being merely noted as varieties. The Crested Newt derives its popular name from the membranous crest which appears on the back and upper edge of the tail during the breeding season, and which adds so much to the beauty of the adult male This creature is found plentifully in ponds and ditches during th
. The popular natural history . Zoology. 45° THE NEWT. inhabit England, and some authors consider that the number of species is still greater. We shall, however, according to the system employed in this work, follow the arrangement of the British Museum, which accepts only two species, the others being merely noted as varieties. The Crested Newt derives its popular name from the membranous crest which appears on the back and upper edge of the tail during the breeding season, and which adds so much to the beauty of the adult male This creature is found plentifully in ponds and ditches during the warm months of the year, and may be captured without difficulty. It is tolerably hardy in confinement, being easily reared even from a very tender age, so that its habits can be carefully noted. At Oxford we had some of these animals in a large slate tank through which water was constandy running, and which was paved with pebbles, and furnished with vallisneria and other aquatic plants, for the purpose of imitating as nearly as possible the natural condition of the water from which the creatures had been taken. Here they lived for some time, and here the eggs were hatched and the young developed. It was a very curious sight to watch the clever manner in which the female N ewts secured their eggs ; for which purpose they used chiefly to employ the vallis- neria, its long slender blades being exactly the leaves best suited for that purpose. They deposited an egg on one of the leaves, and then, by dexterous management of the feet, twisted the leaf round the egg, so as to con- ceal it, and contrived to fasten it so firmly that the twist always retained its form. The apparent shape of the egg is oval and semi- transparent, but on looking more closely it is seen to be nearly spherical, of a very pale yellow-brown, and enclosed within an oval envelope of gelatinous substince. \Vhen the young Newt is hatched it much resembles the common tadpole, but is of a hghter colour, and its gi
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, booksubjectzoology, bookyear1884
